OBASANJO?S BROTHER IN IKA LAND: Tries to Unite With Family

The African Man, especially a typical Nigerian, knows what it means when they say that ?blood is thicker than water?. It is not a mere saying, but one that tends to show the whole world that no matter how long we have stayed away from home, or from our family members intentionally or inadvertently, there is that force that is greater than human comprehension which occasionally reminds us that we are Africans, and that each one of us has at least one ancestral home; a home with families where some of us can go with nostalgic songs in our hearts saying ?I am going back to my roots?. That song is what Mr. Omowale Omokunle, Dick Obuseh seems to be singing from the year 2000 till date as he tries to unite with his family in far away Ota farm in Ogun State.

Mr. Dick Obuseh who resides at 16, Jerry Close, Agbor, in Ika South Local Government Area visited Ika Weekly Office recently, to let the world know that he is a family member of the former two-time Head of the Nigerian Government. In fact, a biological younger brother to Chief Aremu Okikiola Olusegun Obasanjo, who handed the mantle of leadership to the present Head of State, Alhaji Musa Yar?Adua in May, 2007. A first glance at the face of this man would not but create the impression that Mr. Dick Obuseh is truly a brother to the former President.

According to the 65 years old Mr. Obuseh, his mother, late Mrs. Margaret Obuseh, a native of Akumazi in Ika North East Local Government Area, was a notable business woman in Orogodo town who, with two other women, Mrs. Imade and Mrs. Oghogho, used to trade in foodstuffs; carrying yams, and cassava flour, garri, to Abeokuta in lorries. It was during their business at the Abeokuta market that she had a customer called Iya Ibeji. Owing to the fact that the trade used to take many days to complete, before the women would return to Orogodo, Iya Ibeji decided to take Margaret to her house in Abeokuta where she introduced her to the whole family, including the head of the home, Mr. Amos Obasanjo (Now late), father of General Obasanjo.

Pa Amos Obasanjo was one of the pioneers of Abeokuta Baptist Mission. He welcomed the woman to his house. Margaret was a devout Catholic. But whenever she was around on a Sunday at Abeokuta she would go to the Baptist Mission with the family. As time went on, Margaret?s relationship with the family became so close that sometimes she would leave some of her goods in the care of Iya Ibeji, and go back to Orogodo, after which she would collect her money from her the next market trip. Sometimes she would stay with the family for days. It was during that period that she discovered that she was pregnant. She decided to remain in Agbor for fear of possible miscarriage due to the rough and distant nature of the road. Through Mrs. Imade, she sent news to Iya Ibeji, to inform the household that she was pregnant for Baba. When Mr. Amos Obasanjo heard the news he said it was true; and that whenever the child was brought to the household the child will be welcomed.

However, when Mrs. Margaret put to bed in 1944, she did not take the baby boy to his father in Abeokuta. The mother took a decision, to marry another man from Ika land who would take her as she was, especially if the man would be willing to accept her baby boy as part of the family. Few years later she entered into a relationship with one Mr. Obuseh, which ended in their being together as husband and wife. Meanwhile, young Dick was still living with them. When he was 27 years old he lost his mother. But before her death, she had given her son, Dick, a vivid account of his family background.

Somehow, Mr. Omowale Omokunle Dick Obuseh did not go to his ancestral home until the year 2000. That was when he concluded arrangements on how to visit Abeokuta. With the help of a woman in Agbor town who directed him to a hotel owner that lived in Abeokuta, and was married to a lady from Mbiri town, Mr. Dick sold some of his lands in Agbor town and in company of a driver, Mr. Eyen, now late, he left for Abeokuta in search of his roots. On getting to Abeokuta, the hotel owner took them to the Oba of Owu in Abeokuta. After their meeting with the Oba and his Chiefs and, from the semblance of him and the former Preseident as could be seen by the Chiefs, he was told to go back home and write a letter to the President and explain everything to him through the letter. That he did. But yet his effort did not yield the desired result. According to Mr. Obuseh, he has been visiting Abeokuta severally, to meet with his half brothers, and to unite with the family.

At a time he was taken to Ota farm with the hope of meeting the President there. But the Chief security officer at Ota farm, Mr. James, only took photographs of him, which he said he would show to the former president. During that period, the former Oba he had met died and a new Oba, Maja, was installed. Since then Mr. Omowale has been finding it difficult to meet with his brothers and sisters. Whenever he approached the new Oba to lead him to them, especially whenever he knew that the president was around, the Oba would only tell him that he has been trying to help him, even though that remarkable semblance between him and the former President was there,

To make matters worse, there are two notable individuals in the Obasanjo?s family, One Iya Bisi and Chief Akale, the Chief spokesperson who also is in charge of the Obasanjo?s home affairs. According to Mr. Dick Obuseh, these two persons in the family have collaborated with each other to make sure that he never saw his half brother and sister. He has spent almost everything he has sending text messages to the family spokesman and the new Oba of Owu, yet, he has not heard from any of them. What they kept telling him that he came into the family too late.

Mr. Omowale Omokunle Dick Obuseh who is married with children, and lives in Agbor town, also has brothers and sisters from Mr. Obuseh. He is through this medium, appealing to those who could be of help to him, to please assist him in getting in touch with his half brother, the former President, Olusegun Obasanjo. I will like Ika people to join me to plead with my brothers and sisters to accept me. I am not a bad person. Owing to financial difficulties I have stopped going to Ota farm since the month of July, 2006. I believe that if eventually I establish contact with them and I am accepted into the family, greater things will happen, not only in my family, but also within Ika Community,? he said.

From the account that is narrated by Mr. Omowale Dick Obuseh, it could be deduced that the man is desirous of meeting with brothers whom he has never seen physically till date. History will be in the making, if eventually Ika people will help Mr. Omowale, whose name in the Yoruba language means ?come back home my child,? and Omokunle, which means ?fill the home my child,? to truly come back home and fill the empty space in the Obasanjo?s family roots in Abeokuta, the gateway State Capital.